Donna and Hyde
by TL22
Summary: Donna and Hyde 1990


Donna and Hyde

1990 Point Place Wisconsin

Steven Hyde was lounging in the basement when he heard Mrs. Forman yell down the stairs that he had a phone call. He wondered to himself why he did not put in an extension in the basement .He ran up the stairs and took the phone from Mrs. Forman who had a funny look on her face.

"Hello Hyde speaking."

"Hyde, how the hell are you?

"Donna?"

"Yes it is me."

"This is a surprise, where are you?"

"I am at the Hilton out side of town."

"Want me to come over?"

"Well, I wanted to find you, and have a conversation. So yes. Are you still driving the El Camino?"

"No, I bought something different. I'll see you in 30 minutes, We can meet in the bar."

"Not a good idea Hyde, I am fairly well known to the general public, and I don't need to be bothered. My room number is 203, call up, and I will meet you at the front desk, and we can go some place that is quiet."

"OK, works for me."

Hyde wondered why he had gotten this call from Donna after all these years. Donna, and Eric had a brief reconciliation, after he returned from Africa, but all the old problems arose. Donna then went off to college. She surprised everyone by going to California, and attending UCLA. Hyde knew that she got a job working for KNBC in Los Angeles, and a couple of years ago the network picked her up. Donna then relocated to New York City.

Hyde jumped in the shower, and quickly washed up. Dried off , put on his better jeans, hesitated ,and then chose a shirt with a collar. Fifteen minutes later, he was in front of the Hilton

Hyde walked in, and asked the desk clerk to ring room 203 for him. After a brief chat, the desk clerk said, she would be right down.

The elevator opened and out came Donna. Her hair was back to being red, and she wore sun glasses. Donna appeared quite a bit slimmer to him.

"Hi Hyde,"

"How goes it Donna?"

They embraced. Donna stood back. You have not changed much. Where is your car?"

"Out front, and Donna, if I may say so, you look quite good, actually better than good. You lost weight, not that you had to."

.Donna laughed, "The camera puts 10 pounds on you."

They exited the hotel and stood on the street," Okay Hyde where is your car?"

"Right in front of you Donna"

.

"No way Hyde. You don't own that."

"Sure do." Hyde took his keys out, and opened the door for Donna, "Welcome to my chariot."

Hyde went around the car and got in, "Donna you want to get some dinner? They now have some decent restaurants in town."

"Hyde, where did you steal the Corvette?"

"I bought it. Six months ago. It is a 1990 ZR-1 Corvette, with a six speed transmission."

"Are you drug dealer now?"

Hyde laughed. "No, now how long do you think Red would let me hang around if I did that."

"Lets not go to a fancy restaurant for dinner, I get noticed a lot and, I don't want to bother with people tonight. How about that dingy bar, we used to go to?"

"That sounds like a plan. I hope you have all your shots."

Donna was enjoying the ride, she loved the smooth power the car had. I need to get one of these she thought to her self.

They entered the bar and grabbed a table. "What do you want Donna?"

"Beer is fine"

"What kind Donna?"

"What ever your having."

Hyde walked over to the bar and ordered two millers. "Joe, run a tab, I think we are going to be here for a few."

"You got it Hyde. Do you want me to bring the beers over, or are you going walk to the bar."

"I Got it Joe." Hyde walked back to the table and slid the bottle over to Donna.

Laughingly, Donna asked. "No glass Hyde?"

"Come on Donna, do you really want to put a glass from this place to your lips?"

"Your right."

"Tell me Donna, What is the reason you have decided to show up, after being gone all these years."

"Easy, I am a bit homesick, and I know where Eric and Jackie are, but am not sure how I would be received. I took a chance that you would still be hanging out at the basement. Why, I don't know."

"Hyde, how did you get that car?"

"Later, you first Donna, Now why are you really here?"

"Well Hyde I was living with this foreign correspondent. Which worked out well since he was gone a lot. You would recognize the name if I told you, One day last week, he returns from his latest assignment, with a Russian ballerina in tow. Since the apartment is in his name, I had to go. So I called a moving company and had them put my stuff in storage.".

Donna laughed. "What's funny Hyde, all the furniture was mine. I wondered how she liked sleeping on the floor for a couple of days."

"You don't seem to broke up over this."

"I wasn't, I hate to say this, but it was more or less a relationship of convenience."

Hyde laughed, :I see, That almost sounds slutty.".

"Shut up Hyde, So how did you get the Corvette?"

"You know I managed the record store for WB."

"Yes, are you still doing that?".

"Yes and no. I had a feeling Angie was going to get into the picture again and I did not care for the direction WB was talking the store. Well I knew eventually I would have to start sharing with Angie again. Plus WB was going in a direction I did not agree with. So with a loan from Red, and generous terms from WB, I bought the store. There was one condition. I had to keep a section of Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck albums. They were for Kitty."

"Pretty impressive for a pot head."

"I stopped that years ago."

"So what is up with Kelso and Angie? I thought Kelso and Brooke were together with Betsy. So what happened?"

"Believe it or not Kelso wound up being a whiz with security systems. I hired him to install a new system in the Point Place store and my store in Kenosha."

"You have a store in Kenosha?"

"Yeah, I expanded. Anyway WB came on by to see how I was doing. I showed him the system. WB was impressed, and Kelso was hired to install the system in all his stores. To make a long story short; he and Angie hooked up again. They actually got married. I guess Kelso is my brother in law. That's a scary thought."

What happened with Brooke?"

"She married a professor from the University of Wisconsin. Kelso and Brooke were not really getting along. They tried. It was like they were on different planets. You know how Brooke was brainy, and into books. And Kelso he was into gadgets and playing with dogs. They found it hard to relate to each other. Basically they had nothing to talk about. Kelso takes care of Betsy very well, and is in her life."

"Hyde, I am glad to hear that."

"Brooke and Kelso are friendly and actually get along better now. Speaking of hookups, your old boyfriend Casey Kelso married Eric's sister, Laurie."

"No way, you got to be kidding," and burst out into laughter. "That defies the imagination." Donna had tears in her eyes from laughing.

"Actually Donna., Casey is now the minister at the Methodist church."

"NO WAY, tell me your kidding."

Hyde started laughing, " I am, they own this bar. They have two kids and seem to get along. Kitty is all over those kids."

"Hyde why are you still living in the basement? You obviously have become successful."

"Red and Kitty took me in when I needed a place to stay. They are older and Red's health is not all that good. So I stay, to sort of look after them. I'm single, I don't need a big house. If I have a hot date, there is always the No Tell Hotel."

Donna laughed. "No steady girlfriends Hyde?"

"A couple, but no one right now."

Hyde went up and ordered a couple of more beers. Hyde returned to the table and sat down.

Donna waited till Hyde settled in.. "I guess we might as well talk about the 800 pound gorilla that is sitting here with us."

Hyde smiled tightly, "Eric and Jackie."

"Do you see them much?"

"No, I don't. They don't come over much. Kitty will go over and see their kids. Red not so much. There is something between Eric and Red.. I think I know what it may be."

"You know Hyde, when I heard they got married, it really shocked me. I could not see it. I guess in the back of my mind, I was going to come home, and marry Eric. I realize now, that would have been a disaster."

"I'll tell you something Donna, a lot of people think I am a asshole for what happened with me, and Jackie."

"I know I did for awhile. You were pretty mean to her." Donna said softly.

"Donna. I go to Chicago to ask her to marry me. What do I find? A naked Kelso in the room. Jackie always told everyone that nothing was going to happen. That is a load of crap. She was hurt by me and was turning to him. So I get drunk and go off to Las Vegas, and get involved with that stripper. Hell Donna you were there, you know the story."

"Okay Hyde, I get that, but why did you continue to act the way you did?"

Hyde looked down. Then softly started to speak. "I was madly in love with her. I was still in love with her when she had her brief hookup with Fez, but Donna, I am zen. I can not show my emotions, especially as hurt as I was".

"Do you still love her Steven?"

"No, she is where she belongs, and is happy. I am happy for her."

Donna rose and went to the bar and got two shots of tequlia, and two more beers.

"I think this calls for a shot"

Hyde laughed, "I think your right, that was intense. So anyway Donna, they both consider me an asshole, and would rather not be around me."

"You did nothing to Eric."

"Yeah, but he takes up for Jackie, which is right, she is his wife".

"Is that why Red does not go and see him."

"I think so. Red, and I have only had one conversation over this. I think he sees it my way, more or less."

"Why did you go to California Donna, and drop off the face of the earth?"

"I had to get away from this. If I had stayed it would have been recycled over, and over again. You know Steven, they were made for each other. With that she gave Hyde a kiss on the cheek."

"Why do you think so? I tend to agree with you, but what is your reasoning?"

"Eric is a good guy, he matured a lot, especially after he returned from Africa. The problem I had with Eric, is that I need a self starting, confident man. Some one with a strong personality. Eric is smart, He is a hard worker, but all I could see in our future was me being his mother. I guess that is from the way Kitty raised him. Also Red probably did not do his self confidence very much good. Jackie is a strong woman. Who beneath all her annoying crap, likes to mother. Basically she likes to lead and Eric likes to be led. It works for them."

"Donna, I never thought of it that way, but I think your right. I have no animosity toward either one of them, but they can not see it. Maybe in time we can put it together. By the way I don't think you would be to welcome over there either."

"I know, it is a shame, but Hyde, it is not my fault I have a strong personality. That is just the way it is."

"Well Donna, what are your plans now?"

"Spend a couple of weeks here, see if I want to renew my contract in a few months. You know the money is great, but I am very tired of being recognized every time I go out. I want to have my personal life back.. Hyde, I am ready to go back to the hotel.".

"Okay, let me settle up, and we will roll."

They drove back to the hotel in a easy silence. Hyde pulled up front. The door man opened the door and Hyde leaned over to give Donna a good bye kiss.

"Hyde what is the name of the hotel I am staying at?"

"The Hilton, why?"

"Wrong. It is the No Tell Hotel. Give your keys to the doorman."

The End


End file.
